Dark Faery III: The Celestials

by Bridget McGowan

  A few priestesses, including Siobhan had slowly crept toward the door as Aoife spoke. She turned to stare at them.

  “Stay where you are!” she commanded.

  “Why did you do nothing?” Dandriloc asked.

  “I only discovered the truth of these things a short time ago, and had no cause to search. The herbalist gave the names Hester and Siobhan. I suggest you search their quarters as well as that of the other two who have tried to escape with them.”

  Dandriloc nodded and several of his guards grabbed Siobhan and the others. The guards led them to the cells. Once the prisoners were locked away, the guards searched their rooms.

  Aoife had the others continue with the feast. Her soup was taken away to be tested by an herbalist. Nothing would be solved tonight, so there was no reason to take the festivities away from those who deserved them.

  Hugh continued his work on the ship, going out every few weeks. He was often requested as a navigator, so his time was taken quickly. He became ruddy-faced from wind and weather.

  Hugh loved the bracing air of sailing, and learned Sands’ love of the ship. He began to feel a little claustrophobic if he were confined to land too long. Only his love for Meleri made him wish to be land-bound at times.

  Meleri waited at the docks when Hugh’s ship returned to port. At first the seamen teased Hugh about his faithful paramour, but as they became more familiar with her presence, she learned their names and traded banter with them as she did with Hugh.

  Hugh’s time throughout the autumn was split between voyages and Meleri. For her part, Meleri spent her days while Hugh was away weaving leaves for the seats of bark chairs and making baskets out of pine needles. Her baskets were much sought after in the community.

  “Do you find Hugh attentive?” One of her friends asked.

  “He is,” she replied with a smile. “It is sad his job takes him away so often.”

  She did not complain, but accepted the fact that Hugh worked away from the village. She knew what to expect of him, and he spent as much time with her as he could when he was on land.

  Hugh couldn’t wait to see her as soon as his ship docked. They spent hours fluttering among the treetops or strolling along the beaches. Meleri was unused to walking, but as she spent more time with Hugh, her legs became stronger. Hugh’s wings did, too, since the Celestials relied more on wings than legs, so the two found a happy medium between their clan differences.

  As the days dwindled toward Winter Solstice, the voyages were fewer. Seas were rough, and many captains wouldn’t risk their cork and bark ships or highly trained crew in icy waters. Hugh spent more time with Meleri. As they grew closer, Hugh wanted to make things final with her. They decided that they would wed at the spring equinox.

  XII

  In the House of the Priestesses, there was a trial. The soup at Samhain had proven tainted, and testimony was given by the herbalist. The guards testified that they had found the same poison in Siobhan’s room. Emmanuel Hawthorne testified that he had found poison embedded in the medallions.

  While Bran hadn’t noticed his slowly declining health, once he went to stay with the Cerebral branch of the Celestials he noticed a definite improvement in his well-being.

  Because this involved Aoife and her family, she could not preside at the trial. Dandriloc acted as high judge over the druid tribunal.

  The priestesses who had attempted to escape with Siobhan, while they had not directly participated in her crimes, knew about them and said nothing. They were defrocked and sent forever from the House of the Priestesses. The others stood before Dandriloc. Hester had the sense to look chastened. Siobhan was defiant.

  “Have you anything to say?” he asked.

  “No, Milord,” Hester replied barely above a whisper.

  “And you?” he asked Siobhan.

  “I do. You all find me wicked, but I tell you this: Moira Holly was in league with the Vampyres. Scoff if you will, but when her sister was caught and rightfully sentenced to death, it was Moira who removed the sacred medallions from the grove so that the goddess could be denied her due. Her sister yet lives in the half life as a Vampyre. Moira’s son-in-law even worked for them, increasing their wealth, as Aoife well knows. And when the old High Priestess died, Moira Holly plotted with her cronies to have herself wrongfully elected High Priestess. I would see all of Moira Holly’s descendants dead before I’d admit that what I’ve done is wrong. They are a plague on the land!”

  Gasps and cries arose when Siobhan accused Moira of taking down the medallions. The chief druid looked at Aoife.

  “Is what she says true?”

  “Zoe is a Vampyre. I have never met her. That much is true. I know no more than that. My mother never told me how Zoe became a Vampyre. I was but a child when my mother became High Priestess, so I know none of what occurred.”

  “Your brother-in-law worked for Vampyres?”

  “Teilo Feather? I understand that he did. He and my sister have never spoken to me about it other than to tell me that, because of Teilo’s association with them, they helped to save my sister from injury and possibly death at the hands of a man who once was spurned by my mother.”

  “And you expect us to continue to accept as High Priestess one who is of a family where there is a Vampyre?”

  “I know nothing of her. I have no traffic with Vampyres. In fact, Teilo no longer has an association with them. Am I to be punished for what a relative has done? Would you have me step down?”

  “I will take it under consideration,” Dandriloc said. “We must be cautious where the dark Faery are concerned.”

  “We have had no trouble with Shauna Faun. We have kept their secret and they have respected our people for many years. The children love their music, and no one is the wiser about what they are. They keep to themselves, and as long as they do, we have no need to disturb their peace.”

  With that speech, Aoife left the room. She had not expected the trial to turn into one about her worth as High Priestess, but if they divested her of her place, she might go away somewhere to live out her days in a more welcoming place.

  Once Aoife had gone, the trial continued. Hester had been a conspirator, but had not been a force behind the deeds. She acknowledged what she had done was a crime. As such, it barred her from remaining a priestess. She was stripped of her status and sentenced to spend her life out among the Browns, since a criminal who would work toward killing another could not be trusted in the Benevolent community.

  Hester said nothing, but looked crushed at the sentence. She’d been the quiet sort of priestess, one who had no desire to rise to a higher station. Dandriloc hated to have to give such a sentence to such a meek woman, but the law demanded it. She would probably not live more than a few years with the Browns, so defeated was her demeanor.

  Siobhan sneered at the assembled and looked as unrepentant as any criminal could. She would be rid of Moira Holly’s offspring, and the goddess take the consequences. She would welcome a lifetime spent with the Browns if the order of priestesses wouldn’t have her. But that was not to be. She had taken a life and attempted to take others. She was proud of her behavior. Justice demanded her life. The tribunal needed little time to come to that decision.

  Only when Dandriloc pronounced her sentence did Siobhan come to her senses and appear shocked, if not humbled.

  “You would take my life, although the one I took was an offering to the goddess for the one that was snatched from her? You would allow Moira Holly’s people to continue here without punishment, even though she willingly gave one, not just a Benevolent, but a priestess, to the Vampyres?”

  “There was no goddess offering in Moira’s murder. It was simply that: murder.”

  “I curse you. I curse all of you here this day. May you know nothing but sorrow the rest of your days!”

  Siobhan was led out. She would be sacrificed the next day, and there would be no Vampyres to avert it.

  XIII

  They came out of nowhere. Th
e seas were clear one moment; the next a smaller ship sped toward them. The captain attempted evasion, but the smaller ship was faster.

  Pirates – Browns, judging by the dress – boarded the ship. They fought with sword and daggers at first, but Hugh thought there was something odd about them. They moved faster. They appeared to be looking for someone.

  “They’re not Browns,” Sands muttered behind Hugh. “They’re something worse.”

  Hugh barely had time to listen before the closest of the pirates turned his attention on him as well as Sands. The opponent was fast, but Hugh had trained well. Leaping into the air and wielding his sword, he slashed at his opponent. The pirate snarled like an animal, but barely missed feeling Hugh’s point.

  He didn’t have time to wonder where Sands had gone. He suspected he was the only one left in that section of the ship, and a second pirate charged him. Hugh was a good swordsman, but he was no match for the two opponents who were stronger. He found himself overpowered and pinned to the wheel. With no choice, he surrendered and was bound and led to the center of the ship with others who had been captured.

  The pirates had won. He couldn’t imagine what would be done. Their cargo would be stolen, of course. But what of the crew? What of the ship? He didn’t know.

  These pirates were not what he’d been led to expect. They gloated, but were in no hurry to offload the cargo. Instead, about ten pirates stalked around the crew. Only ten? They had given the impression of being many more.

  “What shall we do with these?” one of them asked the apparent leader.

  One pirate held Hugh’s arms behind his back as he tied them at the wrists, while another held a sword point to Hugh’s throat.

  “Who are you? What are you?” Hugh asked, noting Sands’ lifeless body.

  “If you can ask that, you must have some idea.”

  “You’ve overcome us and killed half of the crew. That’s more than strictly necessary merely to steal our cargo.”

  “Cargo? We have no interest in what cargo you collect.”

  “What then?”

  “Captives.”

  Hugh could hear a growling, snarling, slurping noise from somewhere beyond his vision, but the sword kept his curiosity at bay.

  “What do you wish captives for?”

  “They can be useful,” the pirate said, leering somewhat.

  “So, you’ll take all of us? What of our ship?”

  “The captain and a few of the older crew who aren’t dead can limp this ship back to your homeland. The rest of you are our plunder.”

  A chill ran down Hugh’s spine.

  “We are what your people do not acknowledge. But you, son of a High Priestess, you, I think, know the truth.”

  “How do you know who I am?”

  “I make it my business to know things,” he replied with a laugh. It would be the ultimate retribution to claim you for our clan.”

  “Why? What have I ever done to you?”

  “You? Nothing. But those of your family – that is another matter.”

  “Who?”

  “Enough talk. There will be time later for you to put your useless questions.”

  Hugh and several of his shipmates were led to lifeboats, and from there to the pirate ship, but not before Hugh noticed the bloody lips and chins of some of the pirates. He didn’t look down at the deck to see which of his compatriots had comprised the feast. He was sickened and wondered when he would join those ranks.

  Hugh was roughly thrown onto the deck where he lay with the others. He watched the sky as they sailed back to the shores they had so recently left. They might as well be a world away from home as across the sea.

  He saw no way he’d ever get out of this. What of Meleri? Would she think he’d deserted her? What would his mother think?

  At least the ship’s captain had been left alive. But he’d have to bury the bodies at sea to avoid corruption on the ship. No one would believe that it had been the work of Vampyres without seeing the bodies. And even if he managed to keep a defiled body, wouldn’t it awaken as a Vampyre and kill the remainder of the crew? Would the captain risk that? Would those dumped into the sea arise?

  He knew the priestly community had worked to keep the rest of their kind from knowing that Vampyres were real. It was to their benefit to keep them secret. What would become of the druids and priestesses if the others discovered the truth?

  They reached the shore just before dawn. The captives were hurriedly brought to a cave, but were not untied. A guard was placed at the entrance with a lash to silence anyone who cried out. With an incantation to make the captives forget what they had seen on the ship, the Vampyres departed.

  Eventually exhausted, Hugh fell asleep. His sleep was haunted my nightmares of Vampyres drinking his blood and turning him into the living dead. He’d be anathema to all of his loved ones. He could never welcome the life as Zoe had.

  He was too young to die. As a Vampyre, he’d seek the first opportunity to meet the sun. But he wondered if he’d have the courage. Any life, even that of a Vampyre might be preferable, especially since he knew he couldn’t go to the goddess after becoming a Vampyre.

  Hugh, the happy-go-lucky boy who had taken few things in life seriously had finally taken a responsible job and met the girl he wanted to spend his life with only to fall captive to Vampyres. He wondered if Simon and his coven knew about this. Would they care? He doubted very much that they would.

  The thralls in charge of the captives supplied them with food, tying one hand to a ring in the wall of the cave and allowing each of them to have one hand free to eat. They were threatened with death if they tried anything. And if anyone tried to escape, the rest would not be fed again until they were taken to the Vampyre lair. Then it would be up to the Vampyres what would happen.

  Hugh had never felt so low. The others talked among themselves of escape, not understanding what their captors were. Hugh wondered if he was the only one who had seen the carnage on the ship. If they hadn’t seen it, the others would never believe their captors were Vampyres until it was too late – if it wasn’t already too late. They’d think Hugh was mad. Vampyres could glamour light Faeries to see whatever they wanted them to see. Perhaps he’d been glamoured to see worse than what had actually happened to make him feel the hopelessness that now overpowered him.

  His thoughts ran in circles. He didn’t know what to believe.

  At full darkness three of the Vampyres entered. They gave their names: Phineas, Ranowulf and Athelstan. They were no one Hugh had ever heard of. He’d been naïve to think the Vampyre population wasn’t much beyond Shauna Faun.

  Ranowulf was their leader. He was short and muscular, like one who had done the heavy work of a blacksmith in his light life. His hair was dark and long. He wore it tied with a black cord at the back He had a deep, gravelly voice and his dark eyes and heavy eyebrows made him look sinister.

  Athelstan was slender and blond, pale blue eyes watching everywhere at once. He had shaggy hair and an open expression that would have endeared him to many light Faeries. When he spoke, his voice was soft and lilting. He could have been a singer in another life – perhaps he was part of Shauna Faun at that, Hugh thought. He hadn’t noticed all of the band members when he visited the lair.

  Phineas reminded Hugh of an absent-minded clerk, with his unkempt brown hair and rumpled clothes. He dressed similarly to Tomas’s father, but not at neatly, and his clothes were a bit worn, as if he’d been wearing the same ones for decades. When he spoke, he had a paternal sound to his voice, and Hugh wondered if he’d left a family behind when he’d crossed over.

  “What are you going to do with us?” Hugh asked.

  “That depends. Some of you may be ransomed. Others – well, you’ll take your chances on whether or not your kind will pay a ransom.”

  Hugh laughed. “Surely your kind doesn’t need money?”

  “Money?” Ranowulf asked, laughing as if he’d just heard the best joke in the world. “Nay, we have no mo
re interest in money than we had for your precious cargo. Those we deal with have something far more precious.”

  “And what would that be?”

  “We ransom you for vengeance. Now, enough of your prattle. Be silent or I’ll cut out your tongue.”

  XIV

  The ship limped back to its home shore slowly. With so few to rely on and so many bodies to dispose of, Captain Osprey barely had the will to go on. Although he and his remaining crew tried to provide decent burial at sea, many of the slain shriveled nearly to dust in the sunlight of a cloudless day and had to be swept into a sack and buried as one. The goddess would know her own, he was sure.

  News spread quickly of the pirate attack. Pirates seldom took prisoners, and rarely killed many, if at all. Some thought it was an attack on the High Priestess’s family. Others feared an invasion of some sort was imminent. The leaders of the Celestials decided to wait to see what happened next before making any decisions.

  Meleri was distraught by news that Hugh was captured. Her parents advised her to wait. Hugh’s mother would surely do something.

  Osprey went to his home to assure his wife that he was mainly unharmed. While she was glad to have her husband safely home, she saw the devastation in his face and understood his dread at having to visit the High Priestess to tell her of the incident.

  Osprey didn’t tell his wife all he knew. It was enough that he’d have to relive events for Aoife.

  Word reached the Benevolents of a raid on a Celestial ship, so Aoife wasn’t surprised when Captain Osprey came to see her. She hoped Hugh hadn’t been badly injured, but she was sure he’d endured some injury or Osprey wouldn’t be there.

  “Peace of the goddess,” Osprey said, although his heart wasn’t in it.

  “And to you,” Aoife replied, and gestured for him to sit.

  He related the events of the attack to her. She listened patiently, although anxious to hear what had befallen her son.